Display rack



R. J. BROERSMA Dec. 5,1950

DISPLAY RACK 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 19, 1948 AT1-ORN 'ars Dec. 5, 1950 R. J. BRoERsMA DISPLAY RACK .'5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 19, 1948 ATTO RNEYS t Dec' 5, 1950 R. J. BRoERsMA 2,532,600

DISPLAY RACK y,

Filed Jan. 19, 1948 3 sheets-sheet s \NVE.NToR Rosas d. BRoERsMA il gw. sl

ATTORBY S Patented Dec. 5, 1950 DISPLAY RACK Robert J. Broersma, Grand Haven, Mich., as-

ignor of one-half to Henry T. Parker, Grand Haven, Mich., and one-half to Norwood E. Hubbell, Zeeland, Mich.

Application January 19, 1948, Serial No. 3,080

(Cl. .2H-55) 2' Claims.

The present invention relates to a novel, very practical and useful display rack, which in commercial practice has been used for a display of greeting cards of which there are a great many varieties, and in the merchandising of which a considerable number of each variety, preferably, are together in lots so that sale of the cards, one or more ofseveral varieties, is readily done without exhausting the supply, which if it becomes low for any Variety, may be at once replenished. While the invention has been commercialized for display and dispensing greeting cards, it is not to be limited in use solely thereto.

This invention, of great utility in conjunction with greeting cards for their display and merchandising, has for its objects and purposes, among other things, the production of a novel, sturdy, light weight, attractive appearing and particularly useful display rack, in which the cards are displayed in a large number of varieties and with quantities of each variety accessible for selection. The rack may also be economically produced, is durable and of a long life of use. Other objects and purposes, and novel structure for attaining the Same, will `be apparent upon understanding of the invention from the embodiment hereafter described, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a display rack constructed in accordance with my invention,

Fig. 2 is a vertical section therethrough from front to rear,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged perspective View and vertical section, illustrating one form of card holding unit and the adjustable dividers used to separate one kind or Variety of card from another,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical section, on substantially the same plane as Fig. 2, of the upper portion of the rack, with a slightly modified construction of card holder unit from that shown in Fig. 3, and one which may be for some reason preferred,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, similar section at the lower or front end portion of the rack,

Fig. 6 is a perspective View and section similar to Fig. 3 of the modied form of card holding unit mentioned,

Fig. '7 is a perspective View of one of the divider or separating members,

Fig. 8 is a still further modied structure, in vertical transverse section, illustrating a different or modied form of divider or card separator structure, and

Fig. 9 is a perpective View of the modified divider or separator of Fig. 8, and attached indicating card holder and the member with which it is associated for adjustment to different positions.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the diiferent figures of the drawings.

The supporting structure for the immediate card holding rack includes two spaced ends I, of a generally right angle triangle outline, connected by a lower front crossbar 2 at the front lower corners of the ends, an upper crossbar 3 at the upper rear corner portions of the ends, and a. lower rear crossbar 4 at the lower right angle corner at the rear of said ends. A closure plate 5 may close the ends at the back above the plate 4, which plate, however, is not an essential to the invention.

A plurality of elongated unit holders of cards are connected together and disposed in a stepped upwardly and rearwardly inclined position between the lower front bar 2 and the upper rear bar 3. Each of the elongated card holders is of metal, preferably aluminum in extruded form. Each has a horizontal bottom 6, which at its front end has an integral upwardly extending front side Awhich terminates in an elongated lip 8 at its lower edge below the bottom 6. From the bottom 6 a vertical back 9 extends upwardly which, in the form shown in Fig. 3, a short distance above the bottom 6 has a channel with a back or web Io extending to the rear of the plane of the back 9. At its upper edge the back 9 is curved rearwardly upon itself in a curved flange II below and spaced from which is an angular flange I2 of the form shown. The several elongated units are connected together by the longitudinal insertion of the front I with its downwardly extending lip 8 into the receiving channel therefor provided by the upper curved flange II and the lower angular flange I2 at the back and toward the upper edge of the next lower unit. As shown in Fig. 2, the bottom of the lowermost unit is provided by the upper side of the bar 2. Thus at the lower front portion of the rack only the vertical plate 9a, similar to the plate 9, is utilized and is connected by screws to the bar 2 at its inner side. The uppermost card holder is connected to either a bar I3 or a series of shorter bars of the same cross section as the front 'I with its depending lip 8, providing a xed support over which the flanges II and I2 of the uppermost card holder may be slidably moved to connect therewith.

With such construction, a consecutive series of upwardly inclined card holding units, or of other articles which may be held therein, is provided,

extending in successive upward steps from the front bottom bar 2 to the upper bar 3. The several units are securely but detachably connected together and to the supporting frame or body of the rack. As shown in Fig. 2, the intermediate portions of the assembled rack may be supported by brackets 6a underneath the bottom B of 'some of the units, as many of such brackets as may be desired being used.

The cards are held between the back S and the iront 'I of each of the units except, as previously mentioned, the lowermost cards rest upon the bar 2 and lie against the back 9a.

The different varieties of cards are preferably separated from each other by suitable dividers or separators -between the several lots of cards of the different varieties. Such vdividers `are adjustably mounted for a change of position in the length of each of the units, each unit carrying a plurality of said divider members.

in the structure shown in Fig. 3, an elongated guide of a generally channel form is used, and is mounted in each or" the rearwardly formed elongated channels in the back plates 9 of the holders. Said channel guide has a web ill, concave preierably at its outer side, at the longitudinal edges of which are flanges I5 with 'terminal lips generally extending toward each other, forming a mounting and guide for thin metal plates I5 o'i rectangular form, the longitudinal edges oi which are turned back upon themselves in longitudinal lips Il', spaced from the web I6 as best shown in Fig. '7. The channel guide, consisting of the web lil and longitudinal iianges I5, may be forced with a pressure nt into the channel in plate 9. The plates I6, of an arcuate form transversely, are guided and held by the flanges I5 and have a suicient degree of resiliency that they snugly and frictionally engage such channels and are normally held against accidental change of position.

At the outer side oi the web or back lt, one leg l5 of an inverted U-shaped divider or separator, is secured by spot welding or other equivalent permanent fastening means. The other leg I9 of the inverted U-shaped member extends outwardly `and downwardly and at its free end may be either located against the .back of the upper edge of the front i of the unit with which it is associated, or in close proximity thereto. The back I5 with its return bent edges il also serves as a holder for the detachable mounting of indicating cards which may be placed at either side of the rear leg i8 of the attached separator. lt is evident that the dividers or separators used in any of the holders may be moved toward or away from each other and otherwise adjusted for a quantity of greeting cards of the same variety between adjacent dividers, or between the ends l of the rack structure and the outermost dividers in a card holder unit.

In Fig. 6, also in Fig. 2, the card holder units art of a slightly modied structure. Instead of a plain channel having `a web I and forwardly extending upper and lower flanges 3, the web IG in Fig. 6 is connected at its lower end with the back S below a lower vertical lip 2e, extending upwardly, spaced from and in front of the lower portion of the web. At its upper portion the web Ill is shaped substantially in the arc of a circle and terminates at its upper edge, where it integrally connects with the part of the back 9 above the separator or divider mounting, in a downwardly extended lip 2 I. The channel guide for the plates IS of the separator or divider structure, below the lower flange I5, is extended downwardly in a short longitudinal lip 22 and above the upper flange I5 in a somewhat longer longitudinal lip 23. This guide and holder for the separators or dividers is readily secured in place by inserting the upper lip 23 back of the depending lip 2 I, 1ifting the channel guide upwardly until the lip 22 can pass over the upper edge of the lip 2l), and then moving the channel guide downwardly for said lip 22 to be seated between the web It and the lip 2i). The divider structure, consisting of the back plate I5 and the inverted vU -shaped member having legs I8 and I9, is the same as shown in Fig. 3 and serves the same purposes.

A stil further form is shown in Fig. 8. It is the simplest of all of the forms in the structure o1" the card holding unit, the back 9 being without channel guide holding construction and a flat plate, except at its upper curved flange I I. Otherwise, it is the same as the previously described structures of holders in the :horizontal bottom 6 and the front 'i with its downwardly extending longitudinal lip 2 for detachable slidable connection with Vthe upper part of the next lower card holding unit.

Above the bottom e a rectangular plate 25, with spaced recesses 25 in opposite edges, is placed. Such plate may be of a suitable material, for example, Masonite. The dividers having the legs i3 `and I9 at the lower ends of said legs are reduced in thickness to provide tongues 'Ita and lea receivable in opposite front and rear notches Eil, or of 'any of the pairs of notches that nity be selected. The indicating card holder 25, of well Aknown and conventional form, is welded or otherwise 'permanently secured at the back of the rear leg I8 and may serve the same purpose as the back member IS with the flanges Il of the previously described structures.

The card holder units are readily formed by a metal yextrusion process, and are preferably oi aluminum or an aluminum alloy which is light in weight and not subject to surface chemical action, for example oxidation or corrosion. Such units are readily connected together by lsliding the fronts l into the retaining guide flanges ll and I2 therefor, to make a completed rack of as many of the units as may be wanted. Of course the number of units used in a vcompleted rack is subject to wide variation. The Vdividers are readily shifted to `desired positions in the length of each of the card holder units to conform to the indefinite number of variations in card varieties and numbers of cards in each va riety which a store may have. The cards are easily accessible for examination and removal. A very practical, attractive and economical display rack is provided.

The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

l. In. a structure as described, an elongated receptacle having a generally horizontal bottom, a back. extending upwardly from the rear edge f 'the bottom, a iront extending upwardly from the iront edge of the bottom of lesser height than the back and having a lip at its lower edge below the bottom, said baci; at its upper edge having a rearwardly curved flange open at Vits upper side, `and a rearwardly extending angular flange below said upper flange spaced therefrom a distance to slidably receive the front oi a like receptacle located baci; of and above it.

2. structure as defined in claim l, and means .d for adjustably locating a plurality of dividers or separators above the bottom and between the back and iront, said dividers being located transversely of the container at preselected positions therein.

3. A structure as dened in claim 1, said back a distance above the bottom having a rearwardly positioned channel open at its front, and a longitudinal channeled holder located in said channel, having upper and lower horizontal flanges, the edge portions of which extend toward each other and are adapted for the reception of cornbined card holders and dividers therein at any desired adjusted position thereof along the length of the holder.

4. A structure as defined in claim 1, and an elongated plate located above the bottom of each unit, said plate being provided with spaced notches in its iront and rear edges, said notches being disposed in pairs, the notches oi each pair in the rear edge of the plate being located directly behind the front notches of said pairs of notches, and an inverted U-shaped divider having lower end portions receivable in selected front and rear notches of a pair of said notches.

5. A structure as defined in claim 4, and a rectangular card holder located against the rear side of the rear leg of each divider and permanently connected therewith.

6. A rack comprising, a supporting structure including a lower front horizontal bar, an upper rear horizontal bar, a lower rear` horizontal bar, and spaced vertical ends of generally triangular outline connected to said horizontal bars at the ends thereof, and a holding structure for articles of merchandise, said structure being located between the lower front and upper rear horizontal bars comprising, a plurality of units each having a back, bottom and front, means at the upper portion of the back of each unit for longitudinal slidable connection with the front of the next upper unit, means on the upper rear bar for slidable connection with said mentioned means on the back of the uppermost unit, and a plate connected to the front lower bar, said plate being identical with the back of each unit for slidable connection with the front of the lowermost unit, the back of each unit and said plate extending channel therein, with lips extending toward each other at the upper and lower front portions of the channels extending longitudinally of said backs of the units and oi said plate, and a longitudinal plate located in each of said channels vhaving edge portions back of said lips and having flanges, one below the uppermost lip and one above the lowermost lip, extending longitudinally of the plate with edge portions extending toward each other, providing guides adapted to slidably receive card holders between said nanges.

7. A rack comprising, a supporting structure including a lower front horizontal bar, an upper rear horizontal bar, a lower rear horizontal bar, and spaced vertical ends of generally triangular outline connected to said horizontal bars at the ends thereof, and a holding structure for articles of merchandise, said structure being located between the lower front and upper rear horizontal bars comprising, a plurality or" units each having a back, bottom and iront, means at the upper portion of the back of each unit for longitudinal slidable connection with the front of the next upper unit, means on the upper rear bar for slidable connection with said mentioned means on the back of the uppermost unit, a plate connected to the front lower bar, said plate being identical with the back of each unit for slidable connection with the front of the lowermost unit, a channel at the front side of the back of each unit, a plurality of card holders slidably located in said channels, and an inverted U-shaped divider having a rear and front leg, said rear leg having permanent connection to its associated card holder between the ends thereof.

ROBERT J. BROERSIWA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,609,945 Hermani Dec. 7, 1926 1,672,633 Vogel June 5, 1928 1,704,365 McCauley Mar. 5, 1929 1,820,275 Kelley Aug. 25, 1931 1,884,540 Block Oct. 25, 1932 

